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ACC Claims Statistics 2025 - 2.3 Million Injuries, $8.2 Billion in Costs and Where and How New Zealanders Get Injured Explained

Our guide interprets ACC claims data to show where New Zealanders are getting injured, which regions and industries are most affected, and why costs keep rising faster than claims.
Updated 9 March 2026
Summary and Key Findings
  • ACC paid out $8.23 billion in the period from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025 - up 125% in ten years.
  • Total claims from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025: 2,295,685 - that's 43 claims for every 100 New Zealanders
  • The total cost was $8.23 billion (+11.5% on last year) - costs are rising 6x faster than claims
  • The average cost per claim was $3,585 - more than doubled from $1,695 in 2015/16
  • The most common location: Home (48.7% of all claims) - nearly half of injuries happen at home
  • The most expensive location: Road accidents ($8,210 per claim) - 3.5x the cost of home injuries
  • The highest-risk region: Otago (55 claims per 100 people) - driven by Queenstown adventure tourism
  • The lowest-risk region: Wellington (33.9 per 100) - we assume office workers get hurt less
  • 10-year trend: Claims up 6.3% while costs are up 125%

To help understand what's important, our guide covers:
Know This: The $8.23 billion total cost includes everything ACC pays out – treatment costs, surgery, physio, 80% wage replacement while you're off work, rehabilitation programmes, and lump sum payments. 

​ACC is paying out $4.57 billion more per year than it did a decade ago, yet claim volumes are arguably similar. The data suggests the costs are not from more injuries - it's more expensive injuries, longer recoveries, and an aging population that takes longer to heal.
Data Source & Methodology
All data is sourced from ACC's official data publications (July 2025 release) and this guide covers two periods:
  • Current Year: 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025 (Financial Year 2024/25)
  • Historical Analysis: 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2025 (10 financial years)
  • Population data from Stats NZ 2023 estimates

Related guides

Overview - The Year in Numbers

​This section covers the 12 months from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025 - the most recent complete financial year of ACC data. While claims grew just 1.8%, costs surged 11.5%. The average claim now costs $3,585, up from $3,273 last year and $1,695 ten years ago.

Our View: Work claims dropped 7.5% - the biggest single-year fall outside COVID lockdowns. This could reflect genuine workplace safety improvements, or it could reflect an economic slowdown (fewer hours worked leading to fewer injuries). Whatever the reasons, work claims are now 11.6% below 2015/16 levels while general claims have grown 8.5%, suggesting that the workplace is getting safer.
Key Metric 2024/25 Value Change vs 2023/24
Total New Claims 2,295,685 +1.8%
General Claims 2,093,802 +2.8%
Work-Related Claims 201,883 -7.5%
Total Cost (Active Claims) $8.23 billion +11.5%
General Claim Costs $6.81 billion +13.2%
Work Claim Costs $1.42 billion +3.9%
Average Cost per Claim $3,585 +9.5%
Claims per 100 New Zealanders 43.3 -
Important: ACC Only Covers Accidents - What About Illness?
  • ACC pays out $8.23 billion annually for accident-related injuries. But if you can't work due to illness - cancer, a heart condition, mental health, or a chronic disease - ACC won't pay a cent.
  • Income protection insurance covers the gap, replacing up to 75% of your income if you're unable to work for any reason. Most New Zealanders are surprised by how affordable it can be - and how much prices vary between insurers for identical cover.​

Regional Risk - Where New Zealanders Get Injured Most

Not all regions are equal when it comes to ACC claims. We calculated claims per 100 people to show true injury risk, regardless of population size.

The numbers show clear risks:
  • Otago has 62% more claims per capita than Wellington; Queenstown's adventure tourism (bungy jumping, skiing, jet boating) generates enormous claim volumes. Wellington's office-based workforce is, by comparison, lower risk.
  • Tourism and outdoor recreation drive claims, as do older populations. Otago (Queenstown), Northland (beaches, fishing), Bay of Plenty (surfing, mountain biking) all sit well above average in the table below. Hawke's Bay and Nelson-Tasman have a skew to older populations. Wellington and Manawatu-Whanganui, dominated by government offices and service industries, have the lowest rates.
Region Population Total Claims Per 100 People Risk Level
Otago 245,500 135,111 55.0 HIGHEST
Northland 194,100 97,729 50.3 HIGH
Bay of Plenty 338,100 165,878 49.1 ABOVE AVERAGE
Hawke's Bay 181,100 88,199 48.7 ABOVE AVERAGE
Nelson-Tasman 110,600 53,150 48.1 ABOVE AVERAGE
Gisborne 52,000 24,041 46.2 ABOVE AVERAGE
Auckland 1,715,500 781,780 45.6 AVERAGE
Waikato 512,100 230,511 45.0 AVERAGE
Southland 103,200 45,910 44.5 AVERAGE
Taranaki 126,100 55,748 44.2 AVERAGE
Canterbury 645,600 281,111 43.5 AVERAGE
Marlborough 51,400 21,954 42.7 AVERAGE
West Coast 32,400 12,965 40.0 BELOW AVERAGE
Manawatu-Whanganui 258,800 98,098 37.9 BELOW AVERAGE
Wellington 536,500 181,606 33.9 LOWEST
NEW ZEALAND 5,300,000 2,295,685 43.3 -

Understanding Where Accidents Happen and Why The Home is the Most Dangerous Place

Know This: Nearly half of all ACC claims (48.7%) happen at home. That's over 1 million injuries per year from DIY projects, gardening, cooking, bathroom slips, and ladder falls. Home is 10x more dangerous than the road by claim volume - but road accidents cost 3.5x more per claim because they're more severe.
Location Claims % of Total Total Cost Cost/Claim Severity
Home 1,020,095 48.7% $2,379.9M $2,333 MODERATE
Recreation/Sports 470,223 22.5% $1,013.2M $2,155 LOW
Road or Street 124,099 5.9% $1,018.9M $8,210 HIGH
Commercial/Service 115,730 5.5% $566.0M $4,891 ELEVATED
School 98,712 4.7% $68.2M $691 LOWEST
Industrial Place 45,919 2.2% $320.8M $6,987 HIGH
Medical Treatment 32,572 1.6% $426.6M $13,097 VERY HIGH
Farm 23,696 1.1% $124.0M $5,234 ELEVATED
What is 'Medical Treatment' location? These are injuries that occur during medical procedures - known as 'treatment injuries'. They include surgical complications, medication errors, and hospital-acquired conditions. At $13,097 per claim, they're the most expensive injury type - and they've grown 145% in the past decade as more people claim for medical mishaps.

Our View: The school figure ($691 per claim) shows that children's injuries are typically minor - scrapes, sprains, and playground bumps that heal quickly. Compare that to medical treatment injuries at $13,097 - nearly 19x the cost. The data confirms that road accidents are 'only' 5.9% of claims but generate $1 billion in costs - nearly as much as home injuries despite being 8x less frequent.

How People Get Injured - Accident Causes

The data confirms that 'loss of balance' and 'lifting strain' together account for 45% of all claims and $3.1 billion in costs. These are everyday movements gone wrong, such as tripping on a step, picking up a child, twisting while gardening.

'Puncture' includes injuries from sharp objects piercing the skin, such as stepping on nails or screws (common on building sites and during DIY), needle-stick injuries (among healthcare workers), fish hooks, broken glass, splinters, and animal bites. The 143,029 puncture claims cost $158.8M - a relatively low $1,110 per claim because most punctures heal quickly with basic treatment.
​
Our View: Lifting injuries have grown 43.6% over the decade - the fastest-rising major category. This reflects an aging workforce (given older bodies strain more easily), the growth of warehousing and logistics (all that online shopping needs manual handling), and possibly better awareness of what's claimable.
Cause General Work Total % of All Total Cost
Loss of Balance/Personal Control 595,973 28,876 624,849 27.2% $2,058.9M
Lifting/Carrying/Strain 360,225 53,139 413,364 18.0% $1,076.9M
Twisting Movement 172,322 11,773 184,095 8.0% $484.5M
Struck by Person/Animal 146,488 7,043 153,531 6.7% $398.7M
Puncture 125,987 17,042 143,029 6.2% $158.8M
Collision/Knocked Over 126,276 8,477 134,753 5.9% $443.0M
Slipping/Skidding on Foot 118,603 8,161 126,764 5.5% $509.3M
Pushed or Pulled 109,551 8,372 117,923 5.1% $257.2M
Tripping or Stumbling 110,844 - 110,844 4.8% $283.3M

Workplace Injuries by Industry - Who Pays the Most

The construction and manufacturing sectors pay some of the highest levies in the country precisely because their claims are so expensive, as outlined in the table below:
Rank Industry Cost/Claim Claims Total Cost
1 Transport, Postal & Warehousing $6,195 15,301 $94.8M
2 Mining $5,885 945 $5.6M
3 Financial & Insurance Services $5,664 1,146 $6.5M
4 Health Care & Social Assistance $5,258 19,797 $104.1M
5 Construction $5,139 45,586 $234.3M
6 Manufacturing $4,365 41,232 $180.0M
7 Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing $4,259 32,298 $137.5M
Lowest Education & Training $2,901 12,059 $35.0M
Transport and logistics tops the cost-per-claim ranking at $6,195. Construction has the highest total cost ($234.3M) due to sheer volume. Education has the lowest cost per claim ($2,901) - teachers get injured, but injuries are typically minor.

Why is Financial Services so high? Finance workers tend to be older, and when they do get injured (often due to ergonomic issues from desk work or slips in carparks), recovery takes longer. The small claim volume (1,146) also means a few serious injuries skew the average significantly.
Important: ACC Only Covers Accidents - What About Illness?
  • ACC pays out $8.23 billion annually for accident-related injuries. But if you can't work due to illness - cancer, a heart condition, mental health, or a chronic disease - ACC won't pay a cent.
  • Income protection insurance covers the gap, replacing up to 75% of your income if you're unable to work for any reason. Most New Zealanders are surprised by how affordable it can be - and how much prices vary between insurers for identical cover.​

Who Gets Injured - Age, Gender, and Ethnicity

Young people (0-19) have the highest claim numbers but the lowest severity. Older people (70+) have fewer claims but much higher costs - a fall at 75 is far more serious than a fall at 15. This aging effect is the hidden driver of ACC's cost explosion.

1) Age Breakdown
Age Group General Work Total % of All
0-19 years 471,598 8,794 480,392 20.9%
20-29 years 257,657 43,645 301,302 13.1%
30-39 years 304,610 46,121 350,731 15.3%
40-49 years 257,928 35,568 293,496 12.8%
50-59 years 263,290 35,886 299,176 13.0%
60-69 years 236,530 25,567 262,097 11.4%
70-79 years 174,599 5,734 180,333 7.9%
80+ years 127,570 831 128,401 5.6%
2) Gender Breakdown
Gender General Claims Work Claims Total % of Work
Male 1,071,198 136,805 1,208,003 67.8%
Female 1,021,539 65,029 1,086,568 32.2%
3) Ethnicity Breakdown (please note that claimants can identify with multiple ethnicities, so totals exceed 100%)
Ethnicity General Work Total % of Total
European 1,358,676 115,931 1,474,607 64.2%
Māori 255,545 25,635 281,180 12.2%
Asian 250,423 30,662 281,085 12.2%
Pacific Peoples 130,181 16,844 147,025 6.4%

10-Year Historical ACC Trends (1 July 2015 to 30 June 2025)

In this section, we analyse how ACC claims have changed over the decade from 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2025.

Know This: Claims grew 6.3% over the decade while costs grew 125%, reflecting a 20:1 ratio of cost growth to claim growth. The average claim now costs $3,585 - more than double the $1,695 of 2015-16. This increase suggests something fundamental has changed in how injuries are treated, how long recovery takes, or both.
Financial Year Total Claims YoY Change Total Cost YoY Change Cost/Claim
2015/16 2,158,903 - $3.66B - $1,695
2016/17 2,174,628 +0.7% $3.88B +6.0% $1,784
2017/18 2,217,982 +2.0% $4.16B +7.2% $1,876
2018/19 2,266,161 +2.2% $4.56B +9.6% $2,012
2019/20 (COVID) 2,080,948 -8.2% $4.78B +4.8% $2,297
2020/21 2,341,309 +12.5% $5.39B +12.8% $2,302
2021/22 (COVID) 2,016,014 -13.9% $5.46B +1.3% $2,708
2022/23 2,197,407 +9.0% $6.36B +16.5% $2,894
2023/24 2,254,733 +2.6% $7.38B +16.0% $3,273
2024/25 2,295,685 +1.8% $8.23B +11.5% $3,585

A Decade of ACC - The Numbers That Matter

Over the decade, ACC processed 22 million claims and paid out $53.88 billion. That's an average of 2.2 million claims and $5.4 billion per year - though recent years are well above that average.
Metric 2015/16 2024/25 10-Year Change
Total Claims 2,158,903 2,295,685 +6.3%
Total Cost $3.66B $8.23B +125%
Cost per Claim $1,695 $3,585 +111%
General Claims 1,930,522 2,093,802 +8.5%
Work Claims 228,381 201,883 -11.6%
10-Year Total Claims - 22,003,770 -
10-Year Total Cost - $53.88B -

How Accident Causes Have Changed

​The 135% surge in puncture claims likely reflects better categorisation and increased claiming awareness rather than more sharp objects. Lifting injuries (+43.6%) are more concerning - reflecting both an aging workforce and the growth of manual handling in warehousing and logistics.
Cause 2015/16 2024/25 Change
Puncture 53,612 125,987 +135.0%
Lifting/Carrying/Strain 250,863 360,225 +43.6%
Pushed or Pulled 76,628 109,551 +43.0%
Loss of Balance 531,680 595,973 +12.1%
Slipping/Skidding on Foot 147,408 118,603 -19.5%
Struck by Person/Animal 165,687 146,488 -11.6%

How Accident Locations Have Changed

​Medical treatment injuries surging 145.7% is the standout trend. This reflects increased awareness of 'treatment injury' claims - injuries that occur during medical procedures, from surgical complications to medication errors. Patients are increasingly aware that they can claim for medical mishaps. At $13,097 per claim (the highest among all locations), this category is expensive.
Location 2015/16 2024/25 Change
Place of Medical Treatment 13,255 32,572 +145.7%
Home 920,012 1,020,095 +10.9%
Recreation/Sports 427,612 470,223 +10.0%
Road or Street 116,505 124,099 +6.5%
Farm 24,610 23,696 -3.7%
Commercial/Service 124,231 115,730 -6.8%

Regional Growth - Winners and Losers

​Queenstown-Lakes (+44.6%) reflects the explosion in adventure tourism. Population growth corridors like Selwyn (+33.9%) and Western Bay of Plenty (+41.9%) show claims rising alongside population growth. 
Region 2015/16 2024/25 Change
Queenstown-Lakes 24,905 36,019 +44.6%
Western Bay of Plenty 11,008 15,616 +41.9%
Selwyn 10,578 14,167 +33.9%
Tasman 15,684 19,391 +23.6%
Otago 104,684 121,311 +15.9%
Canterbury 227,244 253,560 +11.6%
Auckland 678,238 723,067 +6.6%
Wellington 165,649 166,445 +0.5%
West Coast 11,808 11,657 -1.3%

The Aging Effect - How Demographics Are Reshaping ACC

Claims for 70-79 year olds have grown 57.4% in a decade - far outpacing population growth. Claims for under-30s have dropped 11.3%. New Zealand's aging population is fundamentally reshaping who gets injured and how much it costs to treat them.

Our View:  Older claimants don't just have more claims - they have more expensive claims. A broken hip at 75 requires surgery, extended hospital stays, and months of rehabilitation. The same injury at 25 might heal in weeks. As New Zealand ages, expect costs to keep rising even if claim numbers stabilise.
Age Group 2015/16 2024/25 Change Trend
0-19 years 531,440 471,598 -11.3% DECLINING
20-29 years 290,322 257,657 -11.3% DECLINING
30-39 years 233,574 304,610 +30.4% RISING
40-49 years 256,793 257,928 +0.4% STABLE
50-59 years 240,713 263,290 +9.4% RISING
60-69 years 176,768 236,530 +33.8% SURGING
70-79 years 110,921 174,599 +57.4% SURGING
80+ years 89,986 127,570 +41.8% SURGING
Important: ACC Only Covers Accidents - What About Illness?
  • ACC pays out $8.23 billion annually for accident-related injuries. But if you can't work due to illness - cancer, a heart condition, mental health, or a chronic disease - ACC won't pay a cent.
  • Income protection insurance covers the gap, replacing up to 75% of your income if you're unable to work for any reason. Most New Zealanders are surprised by how affordable it can be - and how much prices vary between insurers for identical cover.​

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are ACC costs rising when claim numbers aren't?

Older people take longer to heal and need more expensive treatment. Claims for over-70s have grown 57% in a decade while claims for under-30s dropped 11%.

What's the difference between ACC and health insurance?

ACC covers accidents, while health insurance covers illness. If you break your leg, ACC pays for your recovery costs. If you need a hip replacement due to arthritis, the cost is paid by health insurance, the public system (e.g. waiting list), or you personally if you go private.

Who pays for ACC?

Many people contribute:
  • Employers pay levies based on their industry risk
  • Employees pay a percentage of their income
  • Drivers pay through registration and petrol tax
  • General taxation covers non-earners, such as children and retirees.

Can tourists claim ACC?

Yes - anyone injured in New Zealand can claim regardless of nationality, as outlined in this 2026 1news story, which partly explains why Queenstown's adventure tourism pushes Otago's claim rate 62% above Wellington's.
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